Not too long ago it appeared that the United States was gaining steam in the pursuit of high-speed rail. But recently billions of dollars allocated to high speed rail have been slashed from federal and state budgets. Transportation infrastructure projects create jobs and keep countries competitive, so why the hesitation? Blogger Gridlock Sam reports on the tug-and-war between politics and progress.

How can we at once reduce our dependency on foreign oil, improve our environment, reduce the need to be at war in the Middle East, improve relations with the rest of the world and demonstrate our patriotism? 'Freedom Fees,' writes blogger Gridlock Sam.

The Economist reports that all that infrastructure talk in Washington since the stimulus bill passed in Feb. 2009 was, in fact, talk. The magazine said, "Infrastructure is still in need of investment; unemployment in the construction sector was 17.2% in September. Barack Obama is touting a new $50 billion infrastructure proposal, but as the mid-terms loom, it is probably too late..."

The bad news for infrastructure continues as the Associated Press reports that while Americans want the nation's aging highways, bridges, and rail systems improved, they really don't want to pay for it. And local officials across the country have noticed with plans to shut down or postpone huge public works projects (especially with the Nov. 2 election looming).

And with the World Series just a win away for the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants, a report from Bloomberg takes note that while professional sports stadiums may be green in terms having a bus stop, most are turning their backs on pricey solar panels.

It’s so easy to get on the bandwagon: lower my taxes, smaller and more efficient government, don’t touch my liberties, throw the bums out, etc. But what if that bandwagon has to cross a bridge? And what if that bridge hasn’t been maintained in years? An Op-Ed from Gridlock Sam.

For too many years cities have been paying for transportation projects with their hands out to Congress, lobbying for dollars even as funding bills grow moss stuck in the sluggish legislative process. It’s time to stop all the bellyaching!

In this week's news of, 'That sounds crazy... are you sure that's a good idea, Canada? What the hell, do it anyways,' CTV reports, "A 3-D image of a young girl chasing a ball into the street is the newest effort to prevent pedestrian accidents in West Vancouver."